Ballot over Gatwick strike

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Gatwick workers will be ballotted for strike action over pensions from next week.

Some 1,800 security staff, firefighters, airfield operations and surface transport workers, members of Unite, will begin voting from Friday, October 28 following a 96 per cent vote in favour of action in a recent consultative ballot.

The ballot closes on Wednesday, November 16.

Unite has expressed growing frustration over Gatwick Airport Ltd’s (GAL) decision to close defined benefit scheme (DB) in favour of the defined contribution (DC) scheme, following a series of meetings stretching back to the start of the 60-day consultation period on September 19.

Unite officer Phil Silkstone said: “Our members are rightly furious. Yet again we have ordinary hardworking people losing out on security in retirement.”

Gatwick Airport Ltd have been approached for comment.

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